


This is where it starts tonight

by orphan_account



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Magic, blink and you miss it - Freeform, there's a little Zious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-01
Updated: 2016-01-01
Packaged: 2018-05-10 20:51:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5600398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. Going to Hogwarts was a dream, where everything in Louis' life started to fall together. But there was always something missing, a piece that he couldn't find. Nothing fit right in that gap of his magic. At least, not until his fifth year.</p><p>Or: After 7 years at Hogwarts, Louis' magic finally found a home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This is where it starts tonight

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from Alex and Sierra's "Scarecrow".
> 
> I got the idea based off of Hazzzaandboobear's wonderful prompt on tumblr: "Hogwarts!AU where Harry and Louis are enemies who have potions class together and one day theyre brewing Amortentia but Louis doesnt know bc he gets to class late so when he does arrive he starts laughing because “oi styles! youre brewing your own cologne thats so lame ahaahaa” and the whole class is like “what” and harry is like “what”."
> 
> Except they're not exactly enemies? Anyways, hope you enjoy it and happy New Year!

First Year had been a breeze. Hogwarts was everything Louis had ever imagined, from the Great Hall to Defense Against Dark Arts. Sure, History had been a bore, but he’d made it at last. The year before had been a disappointment since an owl never came when he was eleven. But it came this year bearing the news of his acceptance to one of the greatest schools in the Wizarding world.

He got placed in Slytherin – the houses still matter, but not as much anymore. After the Great War, the antagonistic rivalries died off a bit. The houses were equal, but when Quidditch came around, the rivalries came back with a vengeance. Louis wore his scarves with pride, cackled when he painted the Gryffindor common room with green glitter that they’d be cleaning for days, _Scorgify_ or not. Slytherin felt good, almost like a home, yet not quite.

But it was Hogwarts held everything he held dear, other than his family of course. There were owls, creatures he’d only heard about from his mother – but. Magic. It held secrets to the stream that coursed through every one of them here. And finally, finally he got to stroke the fire and see what he could do.

When he left Kings Cross, the excitement was already bubbling inside him again. He could feel something missing as they got further and further away like he had forgotten something in the common rooms.

It was okay, though. Hogwarts will be waiting when he comes back. He’ll find it then.

***

Second Year brought in new students, Freshers. Wide-eyed Year Ones dazzled by the sheer brilliance of Hogwarts. Not that Louis could blame them – he was the exact same way – still was. It was similar to First Year, except that the classes were more difficult to wrap his head around. Brilliant, but difficult.

He couldn’t complain though – this was far better than it could have been, hidden away in the Muggle schools not learning _magic_. But something was missing, like a hole in him that his magic needed. That missing feeling was always there and Hogwarts filled it for a while. Yet Hogwarts fell into its own place after Second Year, and the gaping feeling was back.

***

Third Year brought along Hogsmade, butterbeer, sugarquills, and the Shrieking Shack. It flew in with pranks, flying fruits that mysteriously dropped out of the main halls, splattering everyone within radius. Filch had been murderous when he caught Louis setting off Weasley Wizarding Wheezes firecrakers in the halls, enchanting them to last longer and burn brighter.

Headmistress McGonagall hadn’t been pleased, though Professor Malfoy patted him on the shoulder when she turned her head. Malfoy told him to channel it elsewhere else he’d have to endure more detention.

So Quidditch occurred and it brought about endless joy. It felt free, zipping up through the air with no task but to dive after the snitch. It didn’t fit the missing piece that would make his magic whole, but it would have to do.

***

Fourth Year brought along more Quidditch. It was a part of him, brought smiles to his face, but whenever he looked to the crowd, he never knew what he was looking for. It wasn’t Stan, Oli, Calvin, or any of the lads. It wasn’t even pretty Hufflepuff Hannah who he snogged last year after Slytherin won the Cup.

Quidditch aside, Fourth Year brought along two Third Years, uptight Liam and quiet, brooding Zayn. Gryffindor and Ravenclaw respectively, he would even consider them close friends. Louis managed to rope them into his schemes more often than not, considering it made causing trouble a little bit easier. Liam complained a lot, though Louis always tuned him out in favor of wrecking havoc. Firecrackers had been Third Year’s pride. Fourth Year was ice-slicked floors and frozen floating dicks that had a penchant of melting on unsuspecting students. A week’s worth of scrubbing pots was the trade off, but it was the best thing they ever pulled.

But Fourth Year also brought about firewhiskey and an unplanned snog with Zayn. It made the magic in Louis burn higher and greater than it ever had, but it still hadn’t been right. Zayn offered him a lazy smile then a Muggle cig and that was that.

Louis still felt that gap, but now more than ever before, always niggling in the back of his mind. He told his mother about it on his birthday, about everything, how it ached and sometimes it just wouldn’t stop. He told her about Zayn, with tears clogging his throat, afraid to look her in the eyes. But she held him tight and pressed kisses into his hair, told him to wait. That he should trust his magic and where it would lead him.

***

Fifth Year brought about O.W.Ls and the Forbidden Forest. Louis slipped off from the Slytherin common room on nights Liam and Zayn were too busy with their own work. It’s not like they’ve never been into the Forest, it’s just that he’d never been there alone. But the thrill of it tantalized him back every night, trailing the edges beneath a charm he’d crafted himself.

It also brought about American wizarding wonder, sixth year Taylor Swift, who had everyone under her charm in seconds after arrival. She had been sorted into Slytherin as soon as the hat touched her beautiful head, with everyone’s gaze following her as she sauntered over to their table.

Not Louis – there’d been something about her that put him on edge. He might’ve called her a vampire at one point, after a particularly unlucky bout of Gobstones with firewhiskey involved. In his defense, he was absolutely plastered and her lipstick was unnaturally red. Though, Zayn and Liam agreed the morning after.

She had a boy under her arm every week, even had the Seventh Years eating out of the palm of her hand. But there was one boy, a third year that hung around Swift for a couple of months. Even from afar, Louis could tell they weren’t close. Those green eyes of his were always hidden, never truly smiled. Why he cared so much was beyond him, so he went about his days, avoiding Swift.

Then Green Eyes vanished from her side and all everyone would talk about was how Swift and Harry Styles had a blow out. How Styles refused to go with her to the annual dance celebrating the end of the Great War.

For some reason, the magic in him flared and pulsed like it was one of the Weasley’s fireworks when he heard the news. Just glad that a child like Green Eyes had been able to escape Swift’s claws, Louis told himself.

But Swift never stopped yapping about it all through Fifth Year, telling everyone in her vicinity who would listen.

“Harry isn’t all that bad,” Zayn said one night during study hours.

Louis perked up at the chance to avoid his schoolwork. “Harry?”

“The Other Harry,” Liam said, nose buried deep in his Herbology tome. “The one everyone is always talking about how he has green eyes like Harry Potter. All he needs is a scar and a pair of glasses.”

Zayn shook his head. “Hasn’t let it get to his head. He’s a Third Year Ravenclaw – the girls are always hanging outside of his room. Real charmer, that one.”

“Saved our arses one time too.”

Louis thought for a moment – he didn’t remember any such incident. Was it that one time they enlarged a chessboard across one of the courtyards to recreate McGonagall’s challenge in Harry (Potter)’s first year?

“Right.” Zayn nodded. “When Filch’s cat was chasing us down the courtyard that one time after we nicked a stone from Slughorn’s office, remember? For the Halloween slime?”

Liam put his book down and scribbled down a couple notes. “Yeah. Tempted it away with something.”

Louis stared at the two of them for a moment before shutting his books with a snap. Zayn and Liam jolted, blinking at him in confusion.

“What?” He said as innocently as he can. “We’re going to return the favor.”

Turns out, enchanting Hagrid’s monster books to snap after Swift’s heels did nothing other than get her to spew out more nonsense about how Styles did her wrong. Frankly, it was getting bloody annoying.

“I knew he was trouble,” Swift was saying as Louis entered the Great Hall with Liam and Zayn by his side.

Unable to help himself, Louis raised his voice. “Sounds like you are more of a pain than he ever was.”

Her blond hair swirled as she turned to face him, red lips pursed in an “O”. “What?”

He ignored the way Zayn was jabbing him in the side and how Liam tried to tug him away to their usual spots. But really. Swift had to stop spewing utter nonsense before Louis hexed someone silly because it sounded all like the same old shit.

“You’re barking up the wrong tree.” He said. “Listen to yourself. You’ve been saying shit about Styles for the past, what. Five months? The two of you barely looked like friends, if that.”

Her blue eyes narrow as she takes him in. “Who are you? His personal attack dog?”

Louis smirked, doffing an imaginary hat. “No. A _fellow_ Slytherin,” he relished the way the word slipped off his tongue, “who has a little sense. Styles isn’t even bothering to respond to all these stories you’ve been spewing out, have some class.”

Swift got up from her seat then, blue eyes flashing. The rest of the hall fell quiet, waiting for spells to taint the air. “How do you know he hasn’t been the one who encha---.”

“Simple.” Louis sneered up at her. She may be older, taller, richer, or whatever. “ _I_ have.”

“You.” Swift stares at him in disbelief.

He was mildly offended she didn’t think of him – not because he wanted her stories about him.Bbloody hell, not even close! More like the whole school knew his name after he transfigured all the swords held by the all suits of armor into “Light Sabers”. According to Liam his sabers wasn’t exactly the same as the Muggle films, since the sabers didn’t actually cut through anything.

“Me.” He threw her a smile with all his teeth.

Her next words made him see red, even if he can’t remember them later. “What’d he do to make you? Sleep with hi--?”

His wand was out in flash, magic brimming at the edges of his fingertips. The missing piece in him burned as he held his wand as if it knew something was about to happen.

“Take that back.” He shook off Liam’s words and Zayn’s heavy gaze on his back. “You take that back.”

Swift actually looked scared, eyes darting between his wand and his face. Louis could care less about the Professors shouting his name. His blood rushed through his ears, everything else white noise.

“She’s not worth it.” A low voice broke through the static. A large hand covered his own, pushing his wand down to his side. Then a voice by his ear. “Trust me, she’s not worth it.”

Louis trembled, anger still coursing through his veins as he turned to face Styles. His big green eyes were wide as they met his. But the piece of him was quiet, just a silent hope.

“She’s. Not worth. It.” Harry said again, breath fanning in Louis’ face. Cinnamon and vanilla flit in the edges of his perception as he stopped fighting Harry’s grip and puts his wand away.

Irritation flared as Louis shook Harry’s hand off of his. He let Zayn and Liam lead him away and only turned back to look at the third year once.

Harry matched his gaze with his own, green eyes dark and unreadable. His brow was furrowed, pink lips pursed, curly hair framing his face.

 _Beautiful_ , Louis’ mind supplied. And with every step he took away from the mysterious boy the missing piece in his core ached.

Whispers followed him everywhere since he talked to Swift. But what irked him even more was how he saw Harry everywhere. His eyes, his curls –

So he took it in stride. Pranked Harry whenever he could. Nothing too harsh, just a couple birds that followed him around and dropped flowers in his hair. But he never seemed to mind, just smiled whenever Louis came up with something new.

It was annoying, but it felt right? The gaping incompleteness felt a little less… unfinished.

***

Sixth Year brought along more pranks, more detentions, but also the captaincy of the Quidditch team. It also told him that he barely scraped through his O.W.Ls – that he needed to find the missing piece soon.

Clearly, pulling pranks on Harry had been the only thing that soothed it, that brought him any closer to finding that missing piece.

“Hey, Harry!”

Louis perked up from where he had been sitting in courtyard scribbling plans for his next big prank.

Two other Ravenclaws shoved the unsuspecting Harry, cackling when he stumbled over his feet. Louis would be endeared if he weren’t so unamused.

Magic sparked at his fingers and he was up before he knew it, stalking over to the three.

“Oh, wait. Wrong Harry.”

Harry picked himself up off the ground, dusting off his robes. It wasn’t like Louis didn’t know about what they said about the boy. That the way he talked was too slow, that he wasn’t bright enough to be in Ravenclaw. The three of them pull out their wands as if they wanted him to take them all on once.

Fury sparked as Louis pulls out his wand. But someone else beat him to it.

“ _Expelliarmus!_ ” A cackle, then an Irish lilting voice filled the courtyard. “A duel? Haven’t been in one in ages – let’s go!”

The three Ravenclaws sneered down at the shorter blond. “Hufflepuff Horan.”

Horan shrugged before raising the three wands in his right hand and his own in his left. “I’ve got one, two, three, oh would you look at that. Four wands!”

“Five.” Louis sauntered over, signature smirk on his face. “Could I have the wands, Horan?”

“Tomlinson.” One of them scowled, but there’s a waver in his voice. Oh, Louis remembered him. Unpleasant Dan Wooten, all too well known for giving out nasty interviews about Hogwarts to the Daily Prophet.

Louis loved Hogwarts, but he wasn’t blind enough to think that there weren’t any imperfections. But like the rest of the Prophet, the majority of Wooten’s interviews were as real as the rumors saying Potter was coming to teach here every year. Which was to say, a load of bullocks.

Horan handed over the wands with a shrug. Louis runs a hand over each of them, the wood shivering with magic beneath his touch.

“Hope you know non-verbal spells,” he said and tapped each wand in turn. They’ll find these wands in the last place they look, hidden in the second floor girl’s bathroom. If they dared to go near the ghost’s toilet, that is. He wasn't cruel enough to let them go without their wands for a week. Their wands would return to them whenever the spell expired.

The wands fly off in each direction. Louis smirked back at Dan and his friends as they whipped around trying to follow them. If he mooned them while they’re out the courtyard chasing their wands, then no one needed to know it’s him.

“Look after yourself, Curly,” Louis said as he turned around to face the smaller Ravenclaw.

Harry watched him with hooded eyes. “Thanks, Tomlinson.”

He didn’t know why, but something surged in him to correct Harry. “Louis.”

“Louis.”

A smile ticked up the edges of his lips and he bent down to look at those green eyes. Harry, frozen below him, widened his eyes as Louis knelt to where he laid on the ground. This close, he could see flecks of hazel in Harry’s otherwise blown irises and smell the vanilla and cinnamon. But there was something else. Curiosity and - was that fear?

And he can feel that missing piece singing, waiting for it –

But he pulled back and just tugged on a curly lock of hair. “Don’t let them push you around, Curly. Might damage those smarts of yours.”

It wouldn’t be fair for him to saddle Harry with the knowledge that he was Louis’ missing piece. Harry was so young, and it showed in his eyes. He would have to wait, try and get to know the boy with the curly hair and pink lips first. So he walked away, the hole in the core of his magic tearing and aching more than ever.

He didn’t expect Harry to call out after him, “You think I’m smart?”

It ached to think that Harry had let people walk over him like that. Everyone had seen Harry’s work, whether they knew it or not. The boy was brilliant with his charms and his photographs; bringing colors into old photos that most people haven’t seen before. And the only reason he’d known was because he’d walked past the room of requirement as Harry disappeared in, wiping traces of tears from his cheeks. He’d nearly turned around to ask him what was wrong when he saw the Muggle invention pressed to his ears, talking to his mum.

Shaking the memory from his mind, Louis stopped and turned around once just like the year before. “I think you’re brilliant. Who else has it – Potter? That’s the wrong Harry, Curly.”

Horan snickered loudly, but Louis didn’t stick around to hear what Harry had to say. His ears were burning enough as it was.

***

Sixth Year opened the floodgates. Fewer pranks filled Year Seven, but it didn’t mean Louis was ready to let his childhood go. Maturity wasn’t knocking on his door just yet – not until he left Hogwarts at least. But what Seventh Year brought was a lot of banter between him and Harry. Horan - Niall, the Irishman was his best mate since first year. The Hufflepuff tagged along to raise chaos with Louis, Liam, and Zayn whenever he could, as long as they didn't involve tight spaces. It certainly helped since Niall seemed to be on particularly good terms with the ghosts and portraits in the castle, which made getting away from Filch a million times easier.

And Harry.

Louis couldn't get him out of his mind. The boy had dimples in his cheeks when he smiled, a squawk that flew out of his mouth when he _really_ laughed. It was adorable if Louis said so himself. He finally had something to call the missing piece in his magic, too. It was thanks to Zayn, after a night of aches and shivers and too much firewhiskey. Zayn had spent hours scouring in the Restricted Area of the library before he returned the next night, brandishing a piece of parchment paper.

 _Soul-mates_.

The notes Zayn had scrawled down was filled with things Louis already knew. But he couldn't do that to Harry, not when he wasn't even sure if Harry had the same missing piece in his soul. It was like missing half a heart, but not knowing whether or not Harry needed him too. The boy was so bright, just seeing him could make things alright.

What makes it even better was that Harry ended up in his potions class. Louis liked to think that he was right, that Harry was smarter than the rest of the Ravenclaws. Not because Louis failed to pass the N.E.W.T potion examinations the previous year. As it was, the majority of the class was filled with the year sixes – Harry was the only year five.

As luck would have it, they sat next to each other, leaving Louis surrounded by the smell of vanilla and cinnamon after each class. If he left with a skip in his step, Liam and Zayn could shove it elsewhere and _not_ mention it.

It was getting hard to hide it, especially when being with him soothed the ache.

 

 

Today though, when he wakes up to the sound of no alarm. He lay there, disoriented for a moment, feeling the aching beat of the missing piece pulse with the pump of another heart. _That’s new_. His eyes fly open as he checks his watch and promptly falls out of his bunk.

“Bullocks!”

Flying out of bed, Louis grabs a random pair of skinnies, rumpled robes, and his rucksack before dashing out of the dorm.

The potions dungeon is only a few minutes dash away from the Slytherin rooms, but he’s already late. Today’s the day for brewing a potion he hasn’t had the chance to read up on since he had to run a late Quidditch practice last night.

Thankfully Slughorn isn’t looking when he skids into the room, whispering a quick spell to shut the door behind him softly. Not that it matters anyways, since Harry glances up when he slips down into the empty seat beside him.

That’s when Louis notices the aroma filling the potions room. Vanilla and cinnamon spice that usually just curls in the edges of his perception is everywhere, saturating every inch of the dungeon.

It catches him so off guard he snaps to his only defense. Jokes.

“Oi, Styles, brewing your own cologne?”

On Harry’s right, Niall freezes where he crushes the tiny spheres into powder with his mortar.

“What.” Harry gapes at him.

Did he say something wrong? Louis stares back at him, eyes darting between Harry and Horan. “What?”

Niall points up at the blackboard where Slughorn has written “AMORTENTIA”. It means nothing to him. So Louis waves a hand for him to continue.

Letting loose a sharp bark of laughter, Niall shoves Harry at Louis. “Strongest love potion in the world, mate. Smells different to everyone based on what appeals to them.”

It takes seconds to sink in. When it does, Louis nearly drops Harry on the spot as he scampers from the dungeon, face burning as much as his magic pounds out of sync with his heart.

“Louis!”

A hand grabs him by the back of his robes and stops him from running any further. Turning slowly, he fixes his eyes on the empty portrait over Harry’s shoulder.

“Harry.”

“Look at me, Louis.” Hands cup his cheeks, gently tilting his face to focus on Harry’s beautiful green eyes.

He’s surprised to find a brilliant grin on Harry’s face, dimples digging into his cheeks. God, Louis wants to dig his thumb in and find out just how deep they are. But he can’t.

“Ask me what Amortentia smells like.”

Louis’ heart nearly seizes up and the missing piece in him shivers like it’s waiting. “I-, Harry.”

“Ask me, Louis. Ask me what Amortentia smells like.” Harry insists.

Louis sighs and he wants to look away, but Harry’s grin has him stunned, frozen, unable to move.

“What does Amortentia smell like?”

“It smells like the cigs that you and your friends smoke on the Owlery, hint of that aftershave, and mint.”

It’s like the wind has been completely knocked out of him, so he just stares. This time it’s Harry that leans close, nose brushing his, vanilla and cinnamon cocooning him in a warm embrace.

“Can I?”

Harry doesn’t need to ask. Louis surges up and wraps his arms around his neck –

Blue and green sparks cascade through the air as they first touch, each breath another flash, Harry’s hands against his cheeks electrifying the air around them. His magic swells around them until it bursts into another shower of sparks, fizzing as it alights on their skin.

And everything settles as the feverish touches fall into soft caresses. Louis licks into those plush pink lips, vanilla and cinnamon hints swirling around him.

He can’t feel that missing piece anymore, like it’s slotted in without him noticing. Quiet, silent.

For the first time in seven years, it feels like his magic has a home at last.

In Harry.


End file.
